Episode 226 - A Jazzy Finale - SERIAL KILLER

Episode 226 - A Jazzy Finale - SERIAL KILLER

From Twisted and Uncorked by Alecia Watson and Sierra Zorn

February 17, 2026 · 55 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the Axeman of New Orleans, a serial killer who terrorized the city in the early 20th century.

We owe you an explanation here twisted humans, thank you for your patience. We start off with some updates this week, then we tell you the story of the Axeman of New Orleans. Between 1918 and 1919, the unknown killer known as the Axeman terrorized Italian immigrant families, slipping into homes by chiseling away back door panels and attacking victims with their own axes. He left valuables untouched, bodies brutalized, and a city gripped by fear. When a chilling letter signed “The Axeman” was published in March 1919, he claimed to be a demon from “the hottest hell” and promised to spare any home playing jazz at exactly 12:15 a.m. The result? A city-wide night of music to keep death at bay. Despite arrests, accusations, and rampant speculation, his spree ended as mysteriously as it began. Was it coincidence that the murders stopped alongside the influenza outbreak? Or did something happen to the killer himself? Over a century later, the Axeman’s bloody legacy still lingers in New Orleans lore— PSST we will be there at the end of March 2026. We love you and thank you for listening. In the meantime, keep it twisted.

People in this episode

Hosts: Alecia Watson, Sierra Zorn

Topics covered

  • true crime
  • serial killer
  • New Orleans history
  • jazz music
  • mystery

Keywords

  • Axeman of New Orleans
  • serial killer
  • jazz
  • 1918
  • 1919
  • New Orleans lore
  • mystery

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Axeman

Places: New Orleans

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